Terminals for shedders

[gwi1890]

No mate it’s winching lambs out of ewes and taking photos of them

And holding it like a fish for the camera like it’s some kind of achievement?

 

[CopperBeech]

And holding it like a fish for the camera like it’s some kind of achievement?

Aye that would be the one

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

Why are you people promoting these sheep so touchy if anybody asks questions? And why do you feel the need to belittle alternative systems ?

 

[Estate fencing.]

Why are you people promoting these sheep so touchy if anybody asks questions? And why do you feel the need to belittle alternative systems ?

I have to admit the shedding system does seem to be a bit of a religion and they do seem to knock down everyone else.

 

[CopperBeech]

Why are you people promoting these sheep so touchy if anybody asks questions? And why do you feel the need to belittle alternative systems ?

Not being a d*ck mate but I made a thread asking about what terminals people use on shedders ...... and got a couple pages of how shite neils exlana are...... and then you jumped in to slag off as well

And when I got asked a load of questions ... about numbers, scanning etc..... and when I wrote a good reply being honest ..... it was ignored.

Then I mentioned the unsupervised lambing (in reply to more slagging off of the breed) ..... it’s been knocked again.

So then I pointed out that both systems have their welfare issues ......

Im a shedding zealot who’s defensive ......and can’t see another systems benefits.

 

[CopperBeech]

Ps for the record I’m not promoting these sheep, I don’t really want everyone to keep them if I’m honest

 

[CopperBeech]

Why are you people promoting these sheep so touchy if anybody asks questions? And why do you feel the need to belittle alternative systems ?

Just been reading back through - you’re the main person belittling breeds and systems on this thread !

 

[Woolless]

I have to admit the shedding system does seem to be a bit of a religion and they do seem to knock down everyone else.

I'll answer that. It's probably a result of the fairly vicious criticism they receive. Compared to a Mule for maternal traits and to a Texel for terminal when they're cheaper and easier to keep than either. I also feel that some of the naysayers are particularly loud because they know deep down that wool is a cost to their business and the cause of a lot of work but they feel unable to change.

Personally, I think there's room for all sorts of breeds and systems. I wouldn't want everyone to be selling April born, grass-fed lambs or breeding recorded Easycare tups! But seeing both sides of the argument hasn't just gone out of fashion in politics, it seems...

 

[CopperBeech]

I'll answer that. It's probably a result of the fairly vicious criticism they receive. Compared to a Mule for maternal traits and to a Texel for terminal when they're cheaper and easier to keep than either. I also feel that some of the naysayers are particularly loud because they know deep down that wool is a cost to their business and the cause of a lot of work but they feel unable to change.

Personally, I think there's room for all sorts of breeds and systems. I wouldn't want everyone to be selling April born, grass-fed lambs or breeding recorded Easycare tups! But seeing both sides of the argument hasn't just gone out of fashion in politics, it seems...

Interestingly i don’t notice many folks with Romney’s, aberfields, lleyns etc slagging off the shedders ....... seems mainly to be those who keep 3/4 terminal ewes or mules .....

 

[Sheepfog]

I'll answer that. It's probably a result of the fairly vicious criticism they receive. Compared to a Mule for maternal traits and to a Texel for terminal when they're cheaper and easier to keep than either. I also feel that some of the naysayers are particularly loud because they know deep down that wool is a cost to their business and the cause of a lot of work but they feel unable to change.

Personally, I think there's room for all sorts of breeds and systems. I wouldn't want everyone to be selling April born, grass-fed lambs or breeding recorded Easycare tups! But seeing both sides of the argument hasn't just gone out of fashion in politics, it seems...

I must admit I think the only way my crossbred ewes (Aberfield x Improved Welsh) could be any easier care would be to breed the wool off them (as I shear them myself!). They are cracking little ewes that lamb easily and are fantastic mothers (that probably comes from the Welsh?). I can certainly see the attraction of no shearing/crutching and less fly problems. Growth rates would be my main concern but I imagine they are improving all the time.

Luckily we all have different systems, to spread lamb sales out a bit. Although, speaking to several scanners there definitely seems to be swing towards April lambing flocks.

 

[Estate fencing.]

Interestingly i don’t notice many folks with Romney’s, aberfields, lleyns etc slagging off the shedders ....... seems mainly to be those who keep 3/4 terminal ewes or mules .....

I run all sorts of ewes and have been tempted to go down the shedding route but don’t feel the fact that I don’t have to shear them I worth loosing customers buying my store lambs and finished lambs.

 

[CopperBeech]

I run all sorts of ewes and have been tempted to go down the shedding route but don’t feel the fact that I don’t have to shear them I worth loosing customers buying my store lambs and finished lambs.

Which is grand. What works for you, works for you. But why the constant attacks ? (Not by you granted) It’s pretty tedious.

If you don’t have a market for them it’s fine, it’s won’t work. But lots of us make good money selling the lambs fat and I get many phone calls looking for shedding store lambs.

Different stokes for different folks.

 

[Estate fencing.]

Which is grand. What works for you, works for you. But why the constant attacks ? (Not by you granted) It’s pretty tedious.

If you don’t have a market for them it’s fine, it’s won’t work. But lots of us make good money selling the lambs fat and I get many phone calls looking for shedding store lambs.

Different stokes for different folks.

Why do you need a terminal for them if they sell so well pure (a genuine question and not being a dick)

 

[CopperBeech]

Why do you need a terminal for them if they sell so well pure (a genuine question and not being a dick)

I didn’t say I needed a terminal - I was asking other folk who run shedders if they use terminals, if so what they use and what sort of selection criteria are important to them.

I breed terminal rams also and am thinking of adding another breed. Or changing the terminal breed i keep.

 

[neilo]

Interestingly i don’t notice many folks with Romney’s, aberfields, lleyns etc slagging off the shedders ....... seems mainly to be those who keep 3/4 terminal ewes or mules .....

The difference is systems and not breeds perhaps?

For the record, I’m not ‘slagging off’ the idea of wool shedding, and obviously invested plenty of cash in the pursuit of that. However, I am absolutely staggered at how bad these particular sheep are maternally, to the extent that I’m wondering if I really should pursue shedders at all, given the minimal choice of shedding genetics available.

 

[Benn]

The difference is systems and not breeds perhaps?

For the record, I’m not ‘slagging off’ the idea of wool shedding, and obviously invested plenty of cash in the pursuit of that. However, I am absolutely staggered at how bad these particular sheep are maternally, to the extent that I’m wondering if I really should pursue shedders at all, given the minimal choice of shedding genetics available.

Are you also going down the route of putting shedding ram over your highlander to get the wool off?
Get to keep the traits you like in your ewes but still getting rid of the wool issue?

 

[CopperBeech]

The difference is systems and not breeds perhaps?

For the record, I’m not ‘slagging off’ the idea of wool shedding, and obviously invested plenty of cash in the pursuit of that. However, I am absolutely staggered at how bad these particular sheep are maternally, to the extent that I’m wondering if I really should pursue shedders at all, given the minimal choice of shedding genetics available.

Honestly though do you not find it slightly strange you’ve had such a high % of such maternally lacking ewes. As much as we jest, you do seem to have managed to pick the absolutely worst selection of exlana ewes in the country. I am starting to wonder if you were sold some proper duffers, because breed loyalty aside I do find them extremely maternal. To the point where mine will try to kill the dogs if they are anywhere near them when they have lambs.

 

[SteveHants]

Why do you need a terminal for them if they sell so well pure (a genuine question and not being a dick)

Marketing, in my case.
Sending mine anywhere other than Salisbury would have been a strange option since I was 5 miles from the place and could get transport in as a second load for incredibly little. My market was live buyers and they do seem to buy on things like appearance etc.

Exlana with Char twins at foot.

Exlana x SufTex (mostly - might be a couple of char x in there too)

 

[SteveHants]

Honestly though do you not find it slightly strange you’ve had such a high % of such maternally lacking ewes. As much as we jest, you do seem to have managed to pick the absolutely worst selection of exlana ewes in the country. I am starting to wonder if you were sold some proper duffers, because breed loyalty aside I do find them extremely maternal. To the point where mine will try to kill the dogs if they are anywhere near them when they have lambs.

I find it baffling - I had mine from a few places, mostly bought types being culled for not shedding properly etc even had some odd TexMule x Easycare semi shedders from somewhere and they all seemed to do better than that (the mule x ones did mostly sit in the bottom performers and I don't think any ended up in my GP flock). Some suppliers sent me notably better sheep than others though.

 

[neilo]

Are you also going down the route of putting shedding ram over your highlander to get the wool off?
Get to keep the traits you like in your ewes but still getting rid of the wool issue?

Yes. I’m lambing Highlander x Exlana hoggs currently (to Exlana rams) and will have another 100 or so of the cross this year. I don’t dislike the cross, and the halberd wethers have been ok too. Not as shapely as terminal crosses obviously, but have finished and weighed ok.

However, given how utterly shite and problematic the pures have been, so I really want to put more of those genetics in, just to lose the wool?